MikeLigalig.com

Gem, mga bright ning mga Ebojo sa Dauis. Si Papa na-assign sa Dauis ug 4 or 5 years. Kaila pud ni Konsehal Ebojo sa nagwork pa ko sa Bohol Chronicle.

A Missouri woman was indicted today on federal fraud and conspiracy charges for her alleged role in orchestrating a cruel MySpace hoax against a teenage girl who later committed suicide. Lori Drew, 49, was named in an indictment handed up today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles (a copy of the indictment can be found below).

According to prosecutors, Drew created a fake MySpace page as a ruse to determine whether Megan Meier, 13, was making derogatory remarks about her daughter, with whom Neier was fueding. The MySpace page was purportedly that of "Josh Evans," a 16-year-old boy who had taken a liking to Meier (the late girl is identified in the indictment only by her initials, M.T.M.).

Posing as "Evans," Drew and her unnamed co-conspirators, investigators allege, frequently corresponded with Meier, inviting the child at one point to touch the "snake" of "Evans." On October 16, 2006, "Evans" told Meier "in substance, that the world would be a better place without M.T.M in it."

Later that day, Meier hung herself in a closet at her family's O'Fallon, Missouri home. When Drew learned of the suicide, the indictment charges, she caused the fake MySpace page to be deleted and directed a juvenile who knew of the hoax to "keep her mouth shut." A key witness in the federal probe was Ashley Grills, 19, who has admitted to helping Drew set up and maintain the phony MySpace account.

source: TheSmokingGun

Hope you could view this image.

from the Bohol Sunday Post

Two violent incidents that took place one after the other last week have one thing in common. They were crimes of passion and in its wake, a live-in partner was killed while a teenager was raped by her boyfriend under the watchful eyes of his two friends.

But the sordid rape case did not end there. The two friends were not contented of just being Peeping Toms. They decided to join the fray and became participants to a gruesome gang rape.

note: El Mundo, can you give us news details?

By Gregorio Tavera
Bohol Sunday Post

Deprived of good eyesight, this boy from Poblacion proved nothing can hold back a strong spirit to hurdle the Licensure Examinations for Teachers (LET).

Suffering from cataract ailment in both eyes, Elmer Café felt that he stood the chance of seeing again if he could avail the services of eye specialists. That exactly what he did to normalize his eyesight.          

His first major test after restoring his normal sight was took the LET. As fate had it, the 36-year old lad from barangay Poblacion, this town fortunately hurdled the test.

He already got a Professional Civil Service Career (CSC) eligibility way back in 1995. But that was no big deal for him, as his big dream was to become a teacher.

Even during the time when he was visually impaired, Café was active in civic and religious activities.

At present, he is an energetic member of the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 10088 of Jagna and in his teenage years he was one of the cooperative members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in his barangay.

In his elementary grades at Jagna Central Elementary School (JCES) and high school at the Colegio de la Medalla Milagrosa (CMM) until he took up Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) at the Bohol Institute of Technology (BIT) in Jagna, he faired well in academic chores as against his classmates with normal eyesight.

Can you give us more details about this "ilad incident" Balong? What really happened?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6rI5l80wn4

This video has been provided by Nestor Daarol of DYTR radio station, Tagbilaran.

Asianfairy, naa bay lantay ning imong payag kay mohimudlay sa pud ko karijot kay kutas.

Quote from: benelynne on May 15, 2008, 02:40:03 PM
Mike,

How can I thank you for making these encounters possible? As I mentioned before, I could spend a lifetime scouring Bohol for kindred souls, but at TB, it's possible to build friendships in just a matter of weeks and months.

As you yourself had experienced in your down moments, I am grateful to have TB to stand by me in moments of yearning for my family.

Ben, I have realized that geographical roots have a big role in our lives. You've mentioned of the impenetrability of the Japanese community in which the Filipinos in Japan have no way of penetrating into the elite Japanese culture.

A Thai friend of mine was educated in Australia and New Zealand for 10 years, but during those years he wasn't able to really integrate his life with the Australian students and into the Australian community. Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin named his party "Thai Rak Thai" (in English Thais love Thais)

Filipinos must love Filipinos. Filipinos must help Filipinos. Boholanos must love all Filipinos regardless of provincial origin and upbringing.

In your case, you will always find beautiful souls in TB because birds of the same feather are the same birds (I mean "flock together").

Countries in Asia and Latin America are spending billions of dollars every year to hire English-speaking lecturers from other countries to teach English in their schools so that their citizens could face the demand of globalization. But our dear Philippines, thanks to the brilliant people in Manila, wants Tagalog to be the medium of instruction in schools nationwide.

88 % of the content of the Internet is written in English. Tagalog? I don't know.

More than 50 million Filipinos speak Bisaya. If that is the case, let Bisaya be the medium of instruction, but we Bisayans never think of such ridiculous suggestion.

BBC News

The family of an Austrian man who is accused of imprisoning and raping his daughter in a cellar for 24 years have released their first public message.

Joseph Fritzl's daughter, Elizabeth, five of her children and her mother Rosemarie, have hand-written a poster thanking people for their support.

Police say Mr Fritzl, 73, imprisoned and raped his daughter Elisabeth in the cellar in Amstetten in Lower Austria.

He has said he was driven by an addiction that "got out of control".

Wish for normality

Josef Fritzl fathered seven children with his daughter - one of whom died when very young, three of whom were kept imprisoned in his cellar, and three others who went on to live with Mr Fritzl as his adopted or fostered children.

The illustrated poster features outlines of the family members' hands with personal messages written inside.

It is on display in a shop window in their hometown of Amstetten.

The main message of the poster reads: "We, the whole family, would like to use this occasion to thank you all for your sympathy with our fate. Your compassion really helps us to cope with this difficult time and shows us that there are also good and honest people.

"We hope that a time will come for us when we can lead a normal life again."

In one message, Elisabeth's 18-year-old son, who was imprisoned in the cellar and had never seen daylight until his release in April, writes how he enjoys experiencing sun, fresh air and nature for the first time.

Austria's Kurier newspaper reports that people in Amstetten have been reading the poster with tears in their eyes.

Mr Fritzl's alleged crimes came to light when Elisabeth's eldest daughter Kerstin, 19, became seriously ill.

She was allowed out of the cellar and admitted to hospital in Amstetten - where she remains in an artificial coma.

It's so heartwarming to see online friends in real flesh.

Ben, thank you for sharing with us your private thoughts and emotions. It is never easy to be uprooted from the arms of our loved ones.

(Reuters) - A New York man who says he was denied a seat on a five-hour JetBlue flight and was instead told to "hang out" in the plane's bathroom has sued the airline for $2 million, saying he suffered "extreme humiliation."

When Gokhan Mutlu arrived to check in for a JetBlue flight from San Diego to New York in February he was told the flight was full, according to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court.

But Mutlu was allowed to board after a JetBlue flight attendant agreed to give up her seat and travel in an airline employee "jump seat." It was not clear in the lawsuit whether the flight attendant was working.

However 90 minutes into the flight, the pilot told Mutlu the flight attendant was uncomfortable and he would have to give up his seat and "hang out" in the bathroom for the remainder of the flight, the lawsuit said.

The pilot "became angry at (Mutlu's) reluctance" and said Mutlu "should be grateful for being onboard," the lawsuit said. When Mutlu volunteered to sit in the "jump seat," he was told it was reserved for airline personnel.

At one point, the airplane experienced turbulence and Mutlu sat on the toilet seat without a seat belt, causing him "tremendous fear," the lawsuit said.

source: Reuters News

Mexico's Manuel Uribe, once the world's most obese man, is now vying for a different record: the human who has lost the most weight.

Uribe, who weighed as much as a small truck at more than half a tonne, is dieting while confined to a reinforced bed that he has not left for the past six years because he is so heavy.

He has lost 518 pounds since March 2006 on a diet of grapefruits, egg-white only omelets, fish, chicken, vegetables and peanuts.

Now weighing 717 pounds -- the size of three hefty men -- Uribe is still unable to move his swollen legs but hopes to get out of the house next month for only the third time in six years to celebrate his 43rd birthday.

He will still be in bed, hauled onto a tow truck for a trip to the mountainous countryside outside his home city of Monterrey in northern Mexico. It will be a rerun of a failed attempt in March that was thwarted when his bed hit an overpass.

source: Reuters News

A Malaysian woman woke up to a real-life nightmare, discovering that the naked man who had slipped into her bed in the middle of the night was a thief, not her husband, a newspaper said on Tuesday.

The 36-year-old housewife was asleep when the thief, noticing that her husband was fast asleep on the couch, quietly stripped off and lay down beside her, the Star newspaper said, quoting a police report filed in the eastern state of Terengganu.

The dozing woman's suspicions were raised when she spoke to him and his voice sounded strange, the paper said.

"She then went to another room and found her husband fast asleep on the couch. That's when she screamed, causing the thief to flee by leaping out the window together with the stolen items," it added. source: Reuters News Online

Argentine teenager Pamela Villarruel sits in bed with her seven children at her parents' home in the town of Leones in Cordoba Province, northern Argentina. Pamela (17) bore all seven children in just three pregnancies, having her first boy in 2005, when she was 14 and the other six girls in two deliveries of triplets in the following two years.

Pamela and her children currently sleep in the living room of her mother Magdalena who supports them all by house cleaning.

The father of Pamela's first son abandoned them, the father of the first set of triplets was forced out of the house by the family for beating her, and Pamela refuses to identify the father of the more recent triplets.

Magdalena requested to have her daughter's fallopian tubes tied to avoid any further pregnancies, but was denied as Argentine law prohibits the procedure to be done on minors. source: Deccan Herald

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqbpnZ1wYv8

Nestor Daarol provides this video for Tubag Bohol.

Four young Boholanos are among the top graduates of the University of the Philippines in Diliman this year.

Three of the graduates received the second highest academic honors of magna cum laude at the 97th General Commencement Exercises of UP Diliman last April 27 at the University Amphitheater.

Mae Emmeline Palgan finished BA Philosophy, magna cum laude. During her senior year, she was elected to the UP Diliman University Student Council (2007-2008) and was chairperson of the College of Social Science and Philosophy Student Council.

Palgan, who is from Sikatuna, studied high school at the Holy Spirit School.

Also finishing magna cum laude is Precious Joy Tirol Dumagan, a daughter of former Batuan Mayor Necitas Dumagan and Librada Tirol Dumagan.

Dumagan finished BA Speech Communication in just three and a half years. She is a member of UP Delta Pi Omicron Sorority and an inductee of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Even as she was studying at UP, Dumagan regularly writes for the Bohol Standard as a columnist. She finished high school at the Tagbilaran City Science High School.

Richard Lew Alombro Jumao-as graduated cum laude in BS Business Administration. He hails from Calape, Bohol and is presently working at Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ld.

The 20-year old Jumao-as finished his secondary studies at the Tagbilaran City Science High School.

BA Political Science graduate Nelson Cainghog also finished magna cum laude. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in political science.

Cainghog, 21, graduated high school in his hometown at CVSCAFT Main Campus.

The magna cum laude is awarded to graduates with with minimum general weighted average of 1.45 while a cum laude has to attain a minimum GWA of 1.75. - The Bohol Chronicle

As published by the Bohol Chronicle

Mother's Day can never be very especial than to celebrate 50 years of marital bliss.

Following celebrations in Ubay town yesterday, Ex-Gov. David Belarmino Tirol and incumbent Board Member Amalia Reyes Tirol Ph.D. will renew marital vows at 4 p.m. today as they mark 50 golden years in marriage.

Wedding rites will be solemnized at the Graham Leopoldo-Belarmino-Tirol Memorial Church, Graham Avenue, this city.

Blessed in his political career, former governor Tirol has served the country and this province for 35 fruitful years.

He was councilor (1960-1963) of this city, senior board member (1963-1967) and vice governor (1967-1984) of the province, an assemblyman (1984-1986), congressman (1987-1992) of the second district and governor (1992-1995).

An accomplished woman, wife, mother and grandmother, David's wife Amalia is now serving the Boholano's in her third term as board member of the second district of the province.

Celebration is at its grandest with their children and grandchildren:

Dra. Mutya Kismet-Marlon Macuno; son Miguel Carlos;
David Rey-Josephine Tirol;children Ryan Joshua, Rey Joseph and Rajah;
Carpo-Nicole Tirol; children Christopher, Kieren and David William;
Ammon-Lauren Tirol; children Ino, David Amiel, Johnvic, Lu Dean, and Urzula Illuminada;
Honor-May Tirol; children Umma, Michael David, Lemuel and Leam;
Leah-Art Magno; children Amalia Karla Loise, Arthur David, Arthur Jose;
Apollo-Cindirella Tirol; children Shirly Loi Angeli and Shine Ella May;
Homer-Cheryl Tirol; children Arizza Nancy Jule and Martha Justine Ellu;
David the 4th-Melotte Tirol; children David Val, David Matthew and David Allen, and;
Cindy Tirol.

Relatives, friends and well-wishers will be received in a bash at Tirol's residence, Cainget Drive, this city.

Happy Birthday Sgt Joey! Hope all is well with you.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The lack of doctors and inadequate facilities at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) will be the top agenda of a scheduled meeting this month between Gov. Erico Aumentado and Health Sec. Francisco Duque III.

The most important government hospital in the province where hundreds of patients are admitted and given medical treatment, the GCGMH came underfire recently after complaints made by some of the hospital's clients.

One patient died at the hospital last week after allegedly being refused admittance. It was later verified by the Chronicle that the said patient, Iza Pata, 18 years old, did

not have a referral from another hospital in Cebu that initially treated her.

The OB-Gyne section of GCGMH took tests of the patient but did not confine her pending the results of the laboratory tests.

While waiting for the laboratory results, Pata, was found by one of the hospital's personnel in a comfort room already "gasping for breath". She was immediately brought to the emergency room but died about 40 minutes later.

In an interview with the Chronicle, Chief of Hospital Dr. Nenita Po said the patient was not confined since her initial complaint was only "stomach pains and vomiting" at that time although she was accommodated as an out-patient and received preliminary check-up.

It was only after the results of the laboratory exam that the hospital knew Pata had malignant ovarian mass, Po explained.

Her death may have been caused by complication of the ovarian mass which normally affects the lungs, according to the hospital chief.

Po admitted that during that time, the OB-Gyne section had 48 patients confined while the hospital's bed capacity is only good for 40 patients.

In another incident, one Janet Villarojo, complained over dyRD's top-rated Inyong Alagad of having been maltreated by the hospital's staff including her daughter-in-law who was expecting a baby and was admitted at the OB-Gyne ward.

According to Villarojo, her daughter-in-law was sharing a bed with three other patients but was not allowed to use a vacant bed since it was already reserved for another patient.

Villarojo asked that her patient be temporarily allowed to use the unoccupied bed but was yelled at by one hospital staff.

She was then forcibly dragged out of the ward by three security men, Villarojo claimed.

After being informed of the incident, Po assured to take action and investigate those involved.

LACK OF DOCTORS

The governor vowed to intercede in behalf of the regional hospital when he meets with Department of Health (DOH) Sec. Duque on May 30.

Aumentado said he will ask Po to provide him with a profile of the hospital's personnel that needs to be filled up so he can bring the matter to Duque during their meeting.

The governor added that he also has a pending request with the Veterans' Affairs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon to provide beds and hospital equipment for a veterans' ward.

Po explained that the hospital's Medical Section is really understaffed. Ideally, the section alone needs 10 resident physicians but they only have 2 at present.

The Medical section comprises 30 percent of confinements at the hospital and yet it only has two resident doctors, according to Po.

Moreover, the two physicians also have to do consultations at their own private clinics considering the low salary in government hospitals compared to private practitioners.

The GCGMH, formerly Provincial Hospital, was designated by the DOH as a regional hospital and its bed capacity was increased to about 225 from 200.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

A warrant for the arrest of Provincial Board Member Josil Trabajo and former Carmen mayor Pedro Budiongan has been issued by the Sandiganbayan in relation to graft and corruption charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Trabajo, who is currently under a 90-day preventive suspension due to another graft suit, is reportedly evading the warrant being served by the Carmen PNP, according to one of the complainants in the case, former town councilor Domingo Painagan.

Meanwhile, Budiongan was able to post a P30,000 bail last Monday through Regional Trial Court Branch 50 Presiding Judge Dionisio Calibo.

Painagan indicated that the Carmen police may also be blamed for delaying service of the board member's arrest warrant.

He told the Chronicle that the Sandiganbayan had to issue three times the arrest order for Budiongan and Trabajo.

In addition to the arrest warrant, a hold departure order was also issued by the anti-graft court last February 26.

The complainants of the graft suit, Valeriano Nadala Sr., Renato Delgado and Painagan, accused Budiongan and Trabajo, who served as mayor and vice mayor of Carmen, of conniving to implement a road project in 2003 with an intention to financially benefit from the undertaking.

An investigation by the Ombudsman found that the two former Carmen officials were the suppliers of the P1.5-million road project in barangays Vallehermoso, La Salvacion to Montesuerte by selling limestone (anapog) to the municipal government.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The beleaguered mayor of Albur town is pinning hopes on a reversal of the Supreme Court verdict that upheld his disqualification as candidate in the May 2007 elections.

The high court's ruling also affirmed a Comelec en banc resolution ordering Ugdoracion to vacate his office.

Concurred by all 15 justices, the Supreme Court decision admonished Ugdoracion for deceiving the electorate of Albur through a misrepresentation in his certificate of candidacy (COC) stating he is qualified to run as mayor in said town.

The mayor is given until May 8 to file a motion for reconsideration at the high tribunal.

During an interview with the Chronicle, Ugdoracion expressed optimism that he will not be unseated even as the Comelec already issued a writ of execution for his removal from office.

In a separate interview, former mayor Efren Tungol said there is a remote possibility that the Supreme Court would overturn its ruling.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

There is another piece of good news for Boholanos as the Department of Finance has announced recently the inclusion of the province among the areas selected by a United States government funding company to receive much-needed monetary aid for various developmental projects.

In a letter to Gov. Erico Aumentado, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves said that representatives of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which was established by the US government to work with some of the poorest countries in the world, is visiting the province "to witness firsthand the economic and social condition" of our localities.

Last month, the MCC has elevated the the Philippines as one of the "Compact Status countries" in recognition of the government's commitment to promote political and economic freedom, investments in education and health, control of corruption and respect for civil liberties and the rule of law.

The MCC provides two different kinds of monetary assistance - Compact and Threshold.

A Compact is a multi-year agreement between the MCC and an eligible country to fund specific programs targeted at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

A support group of the global search for the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature is warning private and commercial firms from engaging in a campaign for Chocolate Hills without sanction from the organizers.

Unauthorized promotions using the New 7 Wonders campaign would cause in another disqualification of Bohol's nominee, the world-renowned hills.

Dr. Oscar Galang, lead organizer for the Chocolate Hills Support Committee based in the United States, relayed to the Chronicle the official rules concerning private and commercial companies supporting nominees to the New 7 Wonders tilt.

Galang cautioned business groups to observe the rules as an airline company is currently carrying the Chocolate Hills campaign by painting it on their aircrafts that are serving international flights.

Under the terms of nominees' participation agreement, an official candidate of the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign "can only promote and communicate using public, national and governmental support."

As a general rule, any form of marketing, communications, advertising, promotions and initiatives with any form of support by private and commercial companies is not allowed by the organizer - the New 7 Wonders Foundation.

Promotions by commercial firms are only permitted through a license with the foundation, the rules state.

Violating the rule would automatically disqualify the Chocolate Hills from the campaign.

The Chocolate Hills was reinstated in the list of official nominees last Tuesday retaining the votes gathered before it was de-listed almost two weeks ago.

The de-listing dropped the Chocolate Hills' ranking from the 6th spot down to its current 9th place.

According to the N7W Foundation, its policy is designed to "ensure that private companies are officially licensed and make a fair contribution to the costs and resourcing of the entirely self-funded global campaign, from which [the] companies can receive significant positive advertising, promotional, commercial and image benefits."

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

A multi-sectoral group again questioned the Office of the Ombudsman why after two years no charges have been filed against government officials implicated in the anomalous P165-million Talibon irrigation project. (note: it's actually more than P200 million based on my records - mike)

The Boholanos for Truth, Accountability and Reform Movement adopted a resolution urging Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez "to act with dispatch, give due course and render speedy justice to the cases involving the scandalous Talibon dam" of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

Among the signatories of the resolution addressed to the Ombudsman are former governor Rene Relampagos, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Bohol president Atty. Isabelo Sales Jr., Boholanos Against Corruption, Oppression and Social Harassment (BACOSH) president Engr. Nilo Sarigumba, Bohol Alliance of NGOs president Atty. Raul Barbarona, Msgr. Feliciano Nalzaro, Msgr. Robespierre Moreno and Rev. Fely Tenchaves representing the religious sector.

The group fears of a whitewash in the graft investigation involving five NIA officials.

As early as July 2004, investigations were initiated against provincial irrigation officer Engr. Calixto Seroje and four other NIA officials who were accused of misappropriating funds for the Talibon Small Reservoir Impounding Project (TSRIP).

On March 2005, the Ombudsman Visayas found prima facie evidence against the NIA officials as contained in a Joint Final Evaluation Report of graft investigation officer Leny Lim.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The Australian firm that bagged the oil exploration contract at the Bohol-Cebu Strait is expected to be awarded the petroleum contract off northern Bohol.

Otto Energy Ltd., in its financial results disclosure for the first quarter of 2008, bared that it expects the Department of Energy (DOE) to award the oil exploration of Area 8 petroleum block before the end of next month.

Area 8 which is under the 2006 Philippine Energy Contracting Round, lies in the northern seas off Bohol in between Cebu and Leyte. The area is also the site of the Danajon Double Barrier Reef, a very rare geological formation and a marine protected area.

It is scheduled for another seismic survey this year and in the early part of 2009. Area 8 spans an area of 7,004 square kilometers.

Otto Energy said that DOW had advised its subsidiary NorAsian Energy Ltd. and partner Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corporation that they were ranked as the "preferred bidder" for the Area 8 service contract.

"Given the block's location adjoining SC 51 (the Cabilao Island in Loon and Argao in Cebu prospect), this area offers significant follow-up potential in additional structures if NorAsian has success in the drilling in the adjoining SC 51," it said.

By Ariel Fullido
Alturas PR Department

Delfin Domael of Aguipo, Mabini is about to celebrate the feast day of Santa Monica when he won P100,000 in the first monthly draw of Alturas Supermarket, Plaza Marcela, Island City Mall and Kris-Lyn Shop n' Dine "Instant Milyonaryo, Cash Papremyo" 2008 Raffle Promo, last Friday afternoon, May 2, at the Island City Mall Activity Center.

The ten winners of P10,000 each are Pilar Lapez, Canjulao, Jagna, Bohol (709214); Maribel A. Pinat, Pob., Dauis, Bohol (562789); Leoncia Pamaong, 46 Lamdagan St., Tagb. City (319314); Ma. Lorena Hutchinson, Biking III, Dauis, Bohol (255823); Mariana Apoleona, Taloto Dist., Tagb. City (138027); Katherine Baluca, Pob., Baclayon, Bohol (11074); John Paul J. Mabalatan, Cogtong, Candijay, Bohol (819514); Renato Arbilon, Pob., Panglao, Bohol (111018); Lonila S. Lingo, Lincod, Maribojoc, Bohol (105942); and Flora D. Berou, Canhaway, Guindulman, Bohol (06366).

It's the biggest cash bonanza promo where one can win over P3 million instant cash prizes and be an instant millionaire. Nine monthly draws will be conducted every first Friday of the month, and in the grand draw on January 6, next year, one will become an instant millionaire. The monthly draw dates are May 2, June 6, July 4, August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7, December 5, and January 6.

In the monthly draw, there is one (1) winner of P100,000.00 cash and ten (10) winners of P10,000.00 each; and there are five (5) winners of P10,000.00 each, five (5) winners P50,000.00 each, and one instant millionaire who will receive P1 million cash in the grand draw.

A customer of Alturas Supermarket, Plaza Marcela, Island City Mall and Kris-Lyn Shop n' Dine is entitled to one (1) raffle coupon for every single cash purchase worth two hundred fifty pesos (P250) at the grocery/supermarket, Home & Fashion Department/department store, Kodak, Fixrite Hardware, and Medicine Plus/pharmacy; and for every single or accumulated cash purchase worth two hundred fifty pesos (P250) at the smaller anchor stores like Bread Cottage/bakeshoppe, and Foodmix/Food Centre/Foodwalk.

I was only reacting to its Low Fare Promo. I questioned Cebu Pacific: "Why would Cebu Pacific trick people with low-fare gimmick when in fact travelers are paying for the same fare amount with or without a promo"?

Today I sent an email to Cebu Pacific PR Department. Nagpahungaw lang ko sa akong gibati. Feel free to spread this message about Cebu Pacific.

Dear _ _ _ _,

To be honest about it, such marketing gimmick will hurt Cebu Pacific's reputation in the long run. Customers are already complaining of poor customer service. I can attest to this fact. Whenever I write an email to Cebu Pacific, no one replies to my flight inquiry. And if you call a phone, it'd take forever before your call could get through.

The very reason our people are flying through Cebu Pacific is that travelers don't have a choice. That's it. PAL is too expensive for an ordinary air commuter.

But if people have another choice except Cebu Pacific, I am certain that Cebu Pacific will improve its service, needless to mention of its inability to provide water and snacks to its passengers.

Well, competition is not yet hot in the Philippine airspace. But why wait for competition to heat up? That's what happened to Yahoo. So relax until Google came, and Yahoo became a "for sale" company.


Sincerely,
Michael Ligalig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVmAIOLvjqQ

Nestor Daarol contributes this video clip to Tubag Bohol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2bOUfPlSiQ

Nestor Daarol contributes this video for Tubag Bohol.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The star witness of the scrapped national broadband network (NBN) project yesterday denied allegations that he had brokered a deal with the provincial government for ZTE Corporation of China to bag the Panglao Bohol International Airport project.

Rodolfo "Jun" Lozada, the whistleblower of the alleged anomalous NBN deal between the Philippine government and ZTE, declared he has no connections with the Chinese firm or any of its corporate officials.

Lozada is here in the province to speak in a gathering at the Holy Name University this morning that is organized by the Boholanos for Truth, Accountability and Reform, a multi-sectoral group organized by religious, business, non-government organizations and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Bohol chapter.

A ranking Capitol official had leaked details of a confidential meeting with Lozada here sometime in March 2007, about two months before the elections.

The official from Capitol, who spoke by condition of anonymity, disclosed that Lozada acted as negotiator for ZTE to bag the Panglao airport project.

The source said that ZTE, through Lozada, offered some P200-million purportedly for the campaign funds of Gov. Erico Aumentado who was then at the height of his bid for re-election.

According to the provincial government official, Lozada asked to discuss the offer with Aumentado.

However, the governor refused to meet him but sent word that ZTE can participate in the public bidding for the airport project if the Chinese were interested, the Capitol source said.

Written by Ric V Obedencio

The promotion of tourism posted a high mark of +34% in the latest opinion polling or Bohol Poll conducted on April 3-20 2008 by Holy Name University Research Center while promotion of investment got +13% during the public presentation at the Audio-visual hall of said school.

Tourism, considered one of the flagship programs of the provincial government, posted 57% satisfied, 28% dissatisfied and 17% undecided of the 400 respondents interviewed province-wide. There were 100 respondents for each congressional district and this city.

Forty-one percent are satisfied of the provincial government- handled investment promotion while 28% are not while only 27% are undecided, according to the Bohol Poll.

Other services that the provincial government provided like livelihood and environmental protection each got +1% and +23%, respectively. Livelihood had 38 satisfied as compared to 37% were not satisfied of the respondents. And environmental protection posted 50% satisfied as against 27% dissatisfied while only 19 were undecided.

On the issue of the protection of life and property, respondents posted +20% with 48% satisfied. About 28% are not satisfied while 21% are undecided.

Food supply got a -9 while support for agriculture +2 that the provincial government provided.

Forty two percent are dissatisfied; 33% satisfied on how the province handles food supply. Forty one percent are satisfied while 39% are not satisfied on the way the province supports agriculture.

In addressing graft and corruption, the provincial government got -36% with only 24% satisfied while 60% dissatisfied and 14% of the respondents undecided. It is higher than -30% of last year. The province posted -16% in 2006; -26 in 2005; and -32% in 2004, the survey indicated.

The public presentation of the survey opened with a welcome message of Fr. Romeo Bancale, HNU vice-president for academic affairs followed by Josefina T. Cemine's presentation of the background of the study.

Presentors include statistical analyst Jaremilleta M. Arawiran on the methodology demographic characteristics of Boholanos; technical manager Victoria C. Millanar, social issues; and project director Maria Paz J. Espiritu, political issues.

Echegaray was executed on February 5, 1999. Witnesses during the execution have reported that his last words were, "Sambayanang Pilipino, patawarin ako sa kasalanang ipinaratang ninyo sa akin. Pilipino, pinatay ng kapwa Pilipino." [1] ("People of the Philippines, forgive me for the sin that you have accused me of. A Filipino, killed by a fellow Filipino.")

Info Source

Ang death penalty sa Philippines, ug wa pa babag-babagi, daghan unta mahadlok manglugos kay mosunod man ni Leo Echegaray.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Over half of city residents will be refunded a total of P4,191,695 following the suspension of the implementation of a new assessment on real property taxes by City Mayor Dan Lim.

This, after a group of real property owners filed a class suit against the city mayor and three other city officials for implementing a 108-percent real property tax increase based on City Ordinance RC-058.

The group of taxpayers questioned the validity of said city ordinance and the collection of the new realty tax rate which was implemented starting last January.

An ad hoc committee created by the mayor to review the new real property assessment recommended that its implementation be suspended until January 2009.

The suspension was ordered to give way for the City Assessor's Office to send notices regarding the revised tax rate. The new realty assessment imposes a 72.39 percent increase for lands and a 35.67 percent increment rate for buildings.

Dear _ _ _,

I learned nga hangtud karon sige nimo singka-singkahan imong nabana. Siguro kung kita pa karon, sige ra pud ko nimo banghagon.

Dear Friends,

I will continue posting on this thread later. Dili sa ko mo-comment kay makahilak ko. I still have a lot of things to say. I will say them all when dili na ko makahilak. Adto sa ko sa laing thread mo-comment nga dili ko ma-emotional. You all know how I love and treasure your friendships.

Thank you Priscilla for providing us a blow-by-blow update on this incident. I guess Tubag Bohol is the only website that tackles on this issue. There is power in information-sharing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWuvEAOTRE

This video was provided by Nestor Daarol, of dyTR, Tagbilaran.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOko9rBaPR8

Nestor Daarol provides this video.

Thank you for sharing Margz. Happy Mother's Day pud nimo diha. God bless you!

Hippieinchains, I think you've perfectly captured the magic moment in your beautiful mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIhaDemKg5o

This video is provided by Nestor Daarol of DYTR, Tagbilaran.

I will comment later. I can't react at this time. GEC, help. Balong, help!

Bidding is extended until next week. As requested by Lindy and Balong. Bidding continues today.

GEC, don't use "log in forever" in TB. Just use one hour or one day or one week. Your Internet browser is storing the cookies of TB. To delete the cookies of your browser, just follow this instruction.

For Firefox browser:
1. Go to Tools.
2. Choose "Clear Private Data"
3. Check all the small boxes
4. Click "Clear All Private Data Now"

Make sure you remember all your passwords in your other websites since all passwords and browsing history will be wiped out when you follow the above instruction.

For Internet Explorer users:
1. Proceed to "Tools"
2. Under the "General" tab, you'd see "Browsing History". Click Delete
3. There will be a pop-up menu. At the bottom, click "Delete All"
4. When you do this, all your secrets and browsing history will be wiped out. Your browser will be clean.

To perform a one click maintenance of the above tip, download CCleaner at www.ccleaner.com. Install it in your computer. Once a week, perform a clean-up on your computer.

Do the following:
1. Analyze.
2. Run Cleaner

Do it twice. There you go. All the junks and dirts in your computer will disappear.

Dear Friends,

I'm sorry wala pa ko ka-reply ani nga thread sa mga comments ninyo. I hope there were 30 hours in a day. Mo-reply ra ko diri soon. The other day I was weeping at dawn time. I just buried my head in my pillow, shedding so much tears, recalling my moments with my father. I miss him with an unexplainable pain at the core of my soul.

Please bear with me. I will reply to this thread when I feel better. I can't help but become emotional when I make comments here.

Thank you,
Mike

Writing in a forum site is a therapy, actually. But prayer is the best therapy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apvzoFVq8ds

Video provided by Nestor Daarol

Five more hours to go and the bidding will end. So far Balong is the highest bidder.

Thank you Mari for posting the pictures. It's great to see online friends in physical form.

Glad to see you Bene. Enjoy the bounties of our province.

Congratulations Mr. Graham. Enjoy your retirement with your family.

The name of GEC's Rich Daddy is Macky Ferniz.

What a beautiful wedding picture. Not the usual type. Congratulations Ate Annie and Marcus. May God continue to bless your union.

Sorry for the error. I was thinking of 500 from bol_anon ko and I thought Balong had the higher bidding placement.

Let's continue the bidding. The highest bidder so far is Lindy with $305. Bidding deadline is tomorrow midnight (Asian time zone).

Hope you could see this image to light up your day.

By Jill Zeman
Associated Press

It's a happy Mother's Day for an Arkansas woman â€" she's pregnant with her 18th child. Michelle Duggar, 41, is due on New Year's Day, and the latest addition will join seven sisters and 10 brothers. There are two sets of twins.

"We've had three in January, three in December. Those two months are a busy time for us," she said, laughing.

The Duggars' oldest child, Josh, is 20, and the youngest, Jennifer, is nine months old.

The fast-growing family lives in Tontitown in northwest Arkansas in a 7,000-square-foot home. All the children â€" whose names start with the letter J â€" are home-schooled.

Duggar has been been pregnant for more than 11 years of her life, and the family is in the process of filming another series for Discovery Health.

The new show looks at life inside the Duggar home, where chores â€" or "jurisdictions" â€" are assigned to each child. One episode of the new show involves a "jurisdiction swap," where the boys do chores traditionally assigned to the girls, and vice versa, Duggar said.

"The girls swapped jurisdictions, changing tires, working in the garages, mowing the grass," she said. "The boys got to cook supper from start to finish, clean the bathrooms," among other chores.

Duggar said she's six weeks along and the pregnancy is going well. She and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, said they'll keep having children as long as God wills it.

"The success in a family is first off, a love for God, and secondly, treating each other like you want to be treated," Jim Bob Duggar said. "Our goal is for each one of our children to be best friends, and everybody working together to serve each other makes that happen."

source:Yahoo News Online

Our bidding will close tomorrow evening. Last highest bidder is Balong at $500. Anyone?

Quote from: orChids on May 09, 2008, 10:42:10 PM
I will post this anywhere Bro ha?

Sure Aya. I'm sure many people will be blessed by this rare scene depicting true friendship.

I'm so touched of this story, Aya. I wish the whole world could see those images.

There are four pictures in the article source. You might as well check out this blog post

Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

The contractor of a new Department of Education (DepEd) building to be located at the Capitol site, Tagbilaran City, is awaiting the demolition of some 28 houses at the project site before they can officially start construction works.

The houses, some of which were built over 10 years ago, belong to some 28 illegal settlers in the area which is owned by the provincial government.

The provincial government plans to build offices in the site. DepEd will build its 2-storey building to be followed by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Floyd Fullido of the DepEd Bohol Division Office Physical Facilities Division told the Chronicle that the Davao based contractor is in a quandary on how to proceed with the construction as the illegal settlers have not abandoned the area.

A month ago, the provincial government, through Legal Officer Atty. Handel Lagunay had a dialogue with the 28 families.

Some 3 months before the dialogue, the provincial government already sent notices to the settlers asking them to vacate the area.

The Bohol Chronicle

Food security through Bohol Seeds Assistance Program (BSAP) aimed at subsidizing rice seeds for farmers got the lion's share of PhP13,786,000 and food safety packaging of P1.5 million from Supplemental Budget No. 1 swiftly approved last week by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), said Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera.

Herrera, who chairs the agriculture committee of the SP, said the approval of the Supplemental Budget amounting to PhP53,458,271 is a concrete move to address the feared rice shortage came following SP's meeting with Gov. Erico Aumentado recently.

He said the governor strongly endorsed the outlay as certified by the Local Finance Committee (LFC) chaired by provincial administrator Atty. Tomas Abapo Jr.

Though the approved outlay gave no details of the BSAP, the vice-governor said that this food security allocation may be spread through next year's planting season to ensure more rice production. He said he is optimistic that barring any haywire by next year the province may attain self sufficiency in rice production.

The allocation of P1.5 million is intended for food safety packaging with auspices of the Philippine-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) as part of food security thrusts, Herrera said.

By the Bohol Chronicle

The much delayed work at the unfinished Agora Market, which will be converted into the Tagbilaran Business Center (TBC) will resume this week, right after the City Fiesta.

This was assured by City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday whose critics started to question on when this major "eye sore" right in the heart of the city's commercial district will be finally transformed into a business center.

For more than 10 years now since the term of former Mayor Joe Torralba, the unfinished two-storey edifice right along CPG Avenue, fronting the BQ Mall, has not been completed.

Under Mayor Lim's blueprint, the build-operate-transfer arrangement, it will make this section of the city purely commercial.

Contractor Beng Ko, told the Chronicle yesterday that at a project cost of P70 million, he will complete the project before Christmas time.

The proposed Tagbilaran Business Center covers a floor area of about 10,000 sq meters, for both the ground and second levels. The center will not be a mall-type design, Ko explained. It will be a business center with branded establishments such as banks, restaurants and other service outlets.

The center will have its own parking area which can accommodate no less than 100 vehicles.

By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle

Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI) has paid out cash dividend to the provincial government amounting P3-million even as Gov. Erico Aumentado reiterated that the offer to re-acquire the shares of Salcon Power Corp.

This is the first time that the joint venture of the provincial government and Salcon in the twin utility companies - Bohol Light and Bohol Water Utilities Inc. (BWUI) - has realized a significant profit warranting the declaration of dividends.

Salcon senior vice president Alfred Ballesteros said in an interview with the Chronicle, that a 15-percent per share cash dividend was decided by the Bohol Light board during a meeting last December 2007.

The provincial government was paid out a total of P3,087,307 from its 30-percent ownership of Bohol Light.

This is also the first time that the province received a dividend from the joint venture since it was formed in 2000.

According to Ballesteros, Bohol Light operations is expected to turn in more profit in the coming years.

Thanks for posting this announcement, Macky. Congratulations to our very own, Jun Ayag. You bring honor to our home province.

By Martin Sieff

Why are 2.5 billion people -- more than 40 percent of the human race -- in imminent danger of famine? The threat is real, but its solutions aren‘t what the United Nations, the Green Lobby, or the Carbon Threat/Greenhouse Gases lunatics want you to believe.

A billion people live on less than $1 a day. Another 1.5 billion people live on $1 to $1.5 a day. For them, any substantial rise in the price of staple grains like rice or wheat is potentially fatal. Yet since January, according to The Economist magazine, global rice prices have soared 142 percent. Last year, global wheat prices rose 77 percent. Why?

The first crucial point to remember is that global harvests have been excellent for the past two years, especially in the leading food producing nations. The United States and the European Union have experienced relatively small declines in grains output and in recent years, Australia somewhat more. But these issues should not have had anything like this impact. Indeed, the Food and Agriculture Organization projects the 27-nation European Union’s wheat harvest will be 13 percent greater this year than last. U.S. winter and spring what planters are also substantially up, The Economist reports.

Read more HERE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2XF-Dzxwc

Video is courtesy of Nestor Daarol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GZiC8FggBE

Nestor Daarol provides this video clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSnQAb7gI0

Media Briefing for Bohol-Friendship Day. Video is provided by Nestrol Daarol of DYTR.

Update:

The government-run radio station said Tuesday that 22,464 are confirmed dead and 41,000 are missing, and the United Nations says that up to 1 million could be homeless.

CNN's Dan Rivers is the first Western journalist to reach Bogalay township, where China's state-run Xinhua news agency says 10,000 died. He reported miserable conditions.

Rivers said that bodies were being dropped into rivers and that survivors had only small amounts of eggs and rice. The area's rice mills are destroyed, leaving Bogalay with a five-day supply. Water pumps were also ruined, and fuel was scarce.

He reported destroyed homes along 30-kilometer stretches. In one area, only four homes remained from a total of 369. People were taking shelter under canvas sheets, and the weather remained awful.

source: CNN News Online

Abundia Darunday, one of the longest living matriarchs in Tagbilaran succumbed to old age at her residence in Cedar Farms, Dao District, this city last Sunday, at the age of 101.

Born on August 14, 1906 in Sta. Fe, Alburquerque town, Abundia is the second child of a family of eight by Teodorico Dumagan and Patricia Bitoy.

Abun as she is fondly called by her friends was married to Cirilo Karaan Darunday in 1931, after which she gave birth to eight children - two boys and six girls. The two boys, became priests, Valentino an SVD father stationed at Christ the King, Manila and Msgr. Cirilo, a vicar general and resident priest of Dao, Tagbilaran.

Romana finished Optometry at Centro Escolar University, became a three-termer city councilor and is very active, together with her twin sister, Salome, in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement.

Salome finished her Library Science degree at University of the Philippines, inherited her father's job as Provincial Librarian and is now retired.

Awarded as an "Outstanding Provincial Librarian" by the National Library, it was no surprise that the province during her stint would also receive the highest title as "Outstanding Provincial Library" of the Philippines.

Zenaida, the fourth child finished her bachelors in agriculture at UP-Los Banos and Masters in Plant Pathology at University of Wisconsin, U.S.A. An environmentalist and organic farming advocate and activist, Zen or Jean received from her alma mater the "distinguished UP alumna award in Community Leadership" and from her fellow-Boholanos the "Ten Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (TOBAW)" award for her work in agriculture.

Teotista who passed away in 1999 completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Santo Tomas. While in Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia, Teoty devoted most of her life in the Charismatic Renewal movement and led prayer meetings and church gatherings while working with the multi-racial migrant community in Brisbane.

Both Prudencia and Macedonia completed their Bachelor's degree in commerce at University of the East. Prud who took over Teotie's job in setting up prayer meetings with their friends now lives in Brisbane while Macy as a businesswoman manages a tailoring shop in the city.

In spite of her busy schedule as wife and mother, Abundia was very much involved in the church's activities and held positions in Tagbilaran Cathedral's religious lay organizations such as Legion of Mary and Apostolado de la Oracion while her husband was for several years the president of the Pastoral Council, Adoracion Nocturna and Apostolado de la Oracion as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus.

It was indeed a joy for both parents, Abundia and Cirilo that the Darunday family was chosen in a national competition as one of the ten finalists in the "search for the Catholic family of the Philippines" in 1966 sponsored by the Christian Family Movement.

Widowed when her husband passed away in 1984, Abundia, still strong in spirit, although advanced in years, was even more doting and protective of her 19 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

One granddaughter, Lady Aquino, would reminisce how "Lola taught them the value of generosity, prayer and love for one another. Though imbued with a fighting spirit, Lola would always remain humble and unassuming," she added.

Mrs. Darunday lies in state at the Darunday compound at Cedar Farms, Dao District. She will be buried at Dampas Cemetery on May 5, 2008 after a requiem mass at Dao Sta. Cruz Parish, Dao District, 2:30 p.m. with her two priest-sons, Fr. Val and Msgr. Siloy as the main celebrants.

source: The Bohol Chronicle

Ate Annie (Bambi), wa pa ko mahuman. Check-list ni sa attendance, which is done annually from now on.

To Grace,

Your name speaks of a heavenly remembrance. When we say "God's grace," it means an unmerited favor and mercy of God toward His creations though they don't deserve it.

In Tubag Bohol, you gave a new meaning of grace. Though we don't deserve your delicious cakes and cookies, you sent them to many corners of the globe. The cookie that you sent for me through Gemma had to be transported from California to Alaska, and from Alaska wala nako kabalo asa pa nitugpa ang China Airlines nga gisakyan ni Joe, Kyle, and Gemma.

You see, a piece of cookie with a distinct flavor and taste had to travel thousands of miles across oceans and continents aron lang moabot sa Thailand. Thank you, Grace, once more.

We wish to sing a chorus of thank you to you, Grace, not because we dearly love your traveling cakes and cookies, but because you taught us a new meaning of friendship - that indeed true friendship transcends in any type of Internet browsers, operating systems, and computer monitors.

Your friendship removes the barrier of distance and time. (kay kung matulog na si Ginger, mo-mata naman ka.)

To Ms Da Binsi,

You know how special you are to all our friends in Tubag Bohol. I can never forget the picture of your smile and laughter in the webcam while Gemma and Mari were busy typing their Christmas wishes to you and to our friends.

When you said goodbye to us, it was difficult to comfort our friends, especially si Ginger nga nagsiki nalang ug bakho sa Norway. So I started a thread: "Kinsay mopahid sa mga luha ni Ginger." I just wonder nga kung ikaw ang mohilak, "kinsa man kahay mopahid sa mga luha ni Ms Da Binsi"?

Tubag Bohol became a virtual cemetery for a while. But love has always been sweeter the second time around.

The fact that we didn't let you go and we can't, Ms Da Binsi, is a testament to our undying love for you, and you know how much we value your friendship. Till death do us part...   

To Ginger:

When my father passed away, you were the first person that I texted about his demise. It is difficult to imagine a TubagBohol without you. I know so well nga kung naay mahitabo nako (simbako labangon pito ka lawod), ikaw ang mga makaabli sa mga kandado sa TubagBohol kay naa nimo ang nagkadena nga mga yawi.

You are trusted with the "technical secrets" of TubagBohol not because of your brilliance, but because of your noble heart, your ability to implement TB policies with a parental touch. I have spent many hours talking to you over the phone, including that night nga gibadlong na ko sa security guard kay papaulion na ko from office.

You followed my tears from Bohol to Cebu and back to Bohol. You know so well the pain of death as you've lost a loved one, too. I can't thank you enough, Zel.

I may not be able to see you soon in person, pero okay lang kay sa Tubag Bohol online ka kada kadlawon.

I love you, Ginger.

This is for Balong:

Oi, ala una na man diay. Maniudto sa ko, Balong.
More will follow... this is part of post-TB birthday reflection.

This is for Gemma (as my post TubagBohol reflection)

Like many good samaritan souls in Tubag Bohol, Gemma is an angel. Gihatagan niya ug daghang panty si Mari in the presence of Mari's husband and parents-in-law.

When Gemma, Kyle, and Joe came to Bangkok last December, they made me a one-week millionaire. The way Gemma behaves online is the same Gemma you'd see offline. She can be your loving, caring mother, sister, friend, but not a "grandmother" kay bata pa man sya.

Though she is managing three resort hotels in Alaska, Gemma (a.k.a. Glen) always has time for her friends in Tubag Bohol and for her family.

To you, Gem, words are not enough to thank you, Joe, and Kyle. I wish my father were able to talk to you and thank you for standing behind our family in our hours of grief.

To C2H4,

Your infectious laugh can quicken a weary mind and a tired heart. You are a darling to many of us here. I always said "i love you" to you as my friend ug motubag lang ka ug "i know" pero okay lang na nako.

Kini si Ethyl, the first time I talked to her over the phone last year, wala ko kapaniudto. I think the talk lasted for five hours. Bisan unsa nalang ang among mga nahisgutan.

When you are down, you can send your tears to Ethyl (our c2h4) and she will preserve it for memory's sake. When you are happy, you can trust your secrets to her. I have told to Ethyl many of my life's private secrets, unsaon imbestigador man ni siya. Ethyl, kung asa ka man karon, I just hope nga makabasa ka ani akong pagdayeg sa imong pagka-friendly namo diri sa Tubag Bohol.

This is for Alicia, our Asianfairy.

I remember she wrote an email to me telling me that she was reading my poems. Because of that single email, our friendship blossomed in the garden of Tubag Bohol.

In my happiness and sadness, Asianfairy has always been there for me. Even if you don't tell her of your problem, she would know it and she would offer her helping hand to you. Alicia, if I would compile our long emails, ma-libro na ni.

Alicia, I always uttered your name to my father. He had no idea about TubagBohol as he had not used the Internet even for once in his life until he died. Thank you, Alicia, in our hours of grief, you brought hope to a weeping soul. 

We will always stay behind you in fulfilling the mission and vision of Filipino Charity. Your passion to help the poor in our country is a pillar of inspiration for us here in Tubag Bohol.

Quote from: Edelweiss on May 05, 2008, 02:25:29 PM
Hi Mike,
I would like to say thank you for creating this site out of your frustration. gi TUBAG sa ginoo ang imong mga pangandoy nga ma TUBAG ang imong mga kamingaw sa Bohol. karon Mike daghan na ang mo TUBAG sa imong mga pangutana kay daghan na ang mga members sa TUBAGBOHOL.
although i'm not a Boholana by blood but i love Bohol and would like to settle in Bohol for good pohon. i know your site from bohol.ph kay nagsurf ko didto looking for a lot to buy aron katukoran unya sa among payag kung mo retire na mi sa akong husband in few years time. i saw your link and i thought its a political site for unanswered question of the people to the government. TUBAGBOHOL is a unique name na intriga ko so i click the link, that was in June 2007 kanunay kong mobisita pero wala ko mo register not until September when you made an appeal for your Papa wa na ko kaagwanta ning respond ko nimo, and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with you and other TUBAGBOHOL members. although wala pa ko kakita ninyong tanan (aside from my lil sis Beth by choice  in Manhattan) i'm looking forward to meet as many members as possible during my short stay in Bohol this coming July. i'm so proud to be a part of TUBAGBOHOL family  and its noble projects in the future more power and success to our TUBAGBOHOL.
bisag talagsa ra ko mo post diri pero kanunay baya ko molili. this is my 100 post na ka abot ra jud ko at long last congratulations to me. 
I love you all

I have to reserve my private thoughts for Ate Lita through email because if I write my admiration and affection for her, my eyes would well up in tears. In a world full of strangers, I never realized that a not familiar woman from Switzerland would come forward and saved my family from so much grief.

Ate Lita, I have tears in my eyes while I'm writing these words. My father was so grateful to you and was also reminding me to send his thank you to you. Yes, I lost my father when death took him away from me, but I found consolation in the thought that you made someone's life bearable in the most difficult hour of darkness. 

Quote from: grazie7y on May 05, 2008, 04:09:00 PM
I have this indescribable feeling when I started reading this thread.  It's amazing that we can find real people in the virtual world of internet.  As I got to Maring Bella aka ms da binsi's post of the temp theme song where Macky also suggested that we come up with our own song, I couldn't help but remember the song of the American Idol castoff Lapus.  He may be funny to others but his song is deep.  

Kini si Grace, bisan sa telephone pa lang, you will immediately know nga buotan ning bayhana. She's one of the sweetest girls in Tubag Bohol that you will ever know. She bakes cakes and cookies for everyone. And for the first time of my life I saw a virtual cake. I think it was Mari's birthday.

Quote from: ms da binsi on May 04, 2008, 08:37:49 PM
...and i found Tubag Bohol out of a secret frustration too. When Mikey Gatal, who runs the sister (i should say sister forum)mikeygatal.com,  deleted all our post in his site! then sigi nanang ko ug kuri-kuri sa site ni Mikey hangtud na pindotan nako ning tubag Bohol.

Thanks Mikey, this doesn't mean i will be forgeting everything we shared...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Si Ms Da Binsi mas daghan pa ug posts kay sa nako. I have to double time now. Bella is an artist. Every bone of her body is made for arts.

Quote from: Ginger on May 04, 2008, 06:08:37 PM
One thing I admire about GEC is that, he always expresss his love for Mike.

Can I also say, I love you, GEC?

Sauna si Hazel maoy mangutana nako, karon ako nay mangutana ni Hazel ug asa na nga topic pangitaon. She knows every suok and corner of Tubag Bohol topics. In other words, she's an insider. Secret Agent

Quote from: asianfairy on May 04, 2008, 03:04:46 PM
Mas safer pa baya kuno ang mohug ka kaysa moshake hands kay ang atong hands daw puno permi sa bacteria kay bisan asa man nato ihikap. :-))
So giadvise sa doktor nga mas safer and hug as way of greeting people.

Tubag Bohol people are "huggable" and kissable.

I love you, Beth.

Bran, we are not learning from history because evil resides in the human heart. Romans 3:10 says "There is none righteous, not even one." Only God can change the human heart. We are all prone to do evil things, the Bible says.

Long before there were television shows and Hollywood movies that would influence Cain to entertain murderous thoughts, he killed his brother Abel out of jealousy.

Our only hope is the Lord Jesus Christ to change our hearts.

What I dream to see is a healthy nation. What I dream to see is a progressive agricultural Philippines.

Babies are dying in our government hospitals for lack of medical attention. Sa Tagbilaran provincial hospital lang, ang manganak mag-share ug bed sa laing nanganak kay way hospital bed ug kulang ang room.

Tell me, ladies and gentlemen, should we provide first a hospital bed to our precious mothers before we provide an airport for foreign airplanes?

Quote from: Lorenzo on May 05, 2008, 05:15:47 AM
Mike, I never knew about this; thank you for sharing it with me. Im interested in why the nuclear plant isn't producing power yet. Failure to finish construction? What is preventing full operation?

Thanks.

The Nuclear Power Plant has caused untold sufferings to millions of Filipino souls. 97% of the 90 million Filipinos are not aware about this top government secret. For 32 years, we are paying to our foreign creditors millions of pesos "everyday" for nothing. It is too painful to the human soul to even think of this Bataan Project. The Panglao Airport Project fund will be taken from foreign loans. Can we pay for it when in fact thousands of government worker retirees have not received their pension benefits.

One Boholana died outside of a government hospital in the middle of a cold night after she was denied hospital admission. Yet, our government is paying millions of pesos everyday to a "good Bataan Nuclear project" that does not even provide a single light of candle.

Every day in DYRD alone, countless number of Boholanos and Boholanas are crying and pleading for people on air for them to donate a few pesos to buy medicine for their dying loved ones. I've witnessed this horrible human condition in our province for nearly 3 and a half years of my work stint in Bohol Chronicle-DYRD. Many times I had to give my own money to suffering people because I cannot stand to look at human suffering.

They love to think of a multi-billion airport project but the government has no idea how painful it is to see weeping Boholanos who cannot buy a single capsule of Tuseran and tablet of Medicol.

Bran, in Bohol alone, we have two multi-billion dams that remain useless until today.

Since time immemorial, people in Panglao are complaining over lack of clean water. People in Panglao don't have access to potable water. They buy water from Tagbilaran through truck delivery service. Now, they're talking about multi-billion airport when the government cannot even address the issue of clean water supply to our people.

Quote from: ms da binsi on May 05, 2008, 05:02:42 AM
Thats everywhere Mike, bisan gani diri, same thing. I would make the airport if they will give me the project pero dili man sad nila ihatag ang project nako ug dili nako sila piskan!

Wa jud tay bawt ani...

Belle, it's true that corruption is everywhere even in America. But people can always see the project. That makes the difference. And the government of most countries will always finish the project. We already have thousands of unfinished projects in our Philippines.

I got hold of documented evidences on hundreds of ghost dam projects perpetrated by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) from Aparri to Jolo. It's just NIA. We still have DPWH, DepEd, etc.

I have no problem with Bohol having an airport in each of its 47 towns. Because government officials cannot steal money directly from the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas, they have to cloak their agenda with an airport project.

Perhaps our citizens have are not yet aware that our government spent more than P200 million for an imaginary dam in Talibon, Bohol. The Bayungan Dam ate up billions of pesos from public funds, but walay tubig, and the dam until now remains useless.

All over Bohol, ghost and unfinished projects literally scatter on the face of the province.

The issue is not about promoting Bohol, the issue is greed for money. From Talibon Dam, Bayungan Dam to countless unfinished projects in Bohol and in many parts of our country, the evidence is wide and clear. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was coated with all good intentions of energizing the country, providing electricity to all corners of the Philippine Islands. Until now the multi-billion dollar Bataan Nuclear Power Plant has not even provided energy to light a single candle. Guess what? Our government is paying literally millions of pesos every day for that nuclear power plant. And the rest of the nation does not know about it.

Karl Wilson, in a report published in Energy Bulletin, exposed that "nearly 30 years after work began on the Bataan nuclear power plant just north of Manila, Filipino taxpayers are still paying US$155,000 dollars a day in interest on a structure that has never produced one watt of power.
Thelmo Cunanan, chief executive of state-run Philippine National Oil Co., said it had become the country's most outstanding white elephant."

There is no problem if we build an airport even for every barrio in Bohol. The problem comes when the government uses a project to perform a clean job on raping public funds.

There is no problem about promoting Bohol and building an airport. The problem is when selfish politicians just want to benefit from public funds and use an airport project, or any government project for that matter, as cover-up of their greed.

By the Bohol Standard

Some police officers allegedly are showing special interest in the 2004 Panglao rape-slay case that has now tagged former Panglao mayor Doloreich Dumaluan and his brother Engr. Teofredo “Pingmay” Dumaluan.

The case is its fourth year today, April 27.

The mother of Jorjie “Bono” Marcele, a would-be-prosecution witness who backed out positively told the STANDARD that Provincial Police Director Edgardo Ingking was among the police officer that tried to convince them, including his son “Bono” to execute and affidavit pinpointing to Pingmay Dumaluan as principal suspect to the rape-slay case.

Estrella Marcele, 57, the mother of the would-be- prosecution witness recalled that they were brought to the police headquarters in Camp Dagohoy this city and when inside the office they were shown a prepared affidavit.

The mother when showed a newspaper photo of Ingking said that it was the same police officer whom she met at the police provincial headquarters sometime in December last year.

Together with Ingking was also another police officer identified as SPOI Dominie Ragusta, now assigned as police chief of PNP Panglao.

Bono Marcele was promised P500,000 but only received initial payment of P20,000 at a meeting place in Tambuli Resort in Cebu City.

The supposed prosecution witness later retracted his story in the affidavit claiming he was forced to sign the document. The witness was told that his life was in danger being hunted by killers hired by Dumaluan to liquidate him for being a witness to the rape slay case.

He went hiding after signing the affidavit and was traced by his brother Ramil Marcele in Kabangkalan, Occidental Negros after he was reported to have disappeared from his residence in Zamboanga.

The STANDARD sought the comment of police director Ingking at his office in Camp Dagohoy Thursday morning.

Ingking said he has no knowledge of the incident wherein he allegedly helped convince the Marcele family to execute an affidavit against the Dumaluans.

He also said he has no “special interest” in the case.

The interview was brief as the police director begged off, and left hurriedly for a scheduled official commitment set that day.

Ingking was also tagged as supporting a petition for transfer of another prosecution witness Geoge “Bagobo” Galo, a convicted felon of another crime, who was committed to the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center but wants to stay at a detention cell inside Camp Dagohoy.

In the motion for the convict’s transfer, curiously SPOI Domine Ragusta, SPO4 Justiniano Saco and Police Provincial Director Ingking signed as witnesses.

The court denied the motion for the prisoner’s transfer to a facility under the control of Ingking citing no reason for the transfer of the prisoner to the detention cell inside Camp Dagohoy.

The convict-witness rightfully belongs inside BDRC where he awaits his transfer to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Rizal, the court said.

by Mimi Hall
USA TODAY

Nobel Peace Prize winner and international symbol of freedom Nelson Mandela is flagged on U.S. terrorist watch lists and needs special permission to visit the USA. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice calls the situation “embarrassing,” and some members of Congress vow to fix it.

The requirement applies to former South African leader Mandela and other members of South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC), the once-banned anti-Apartheid organization. In the 1970s and ’80s, the ANC was officially designated a terrorist group by the country’s ruling white minority. Other countries, including the United States, followed suit.

Because of this, Rice told a Senate committee recently, her department has to issue waivers for ANC members to travel to the USA.

Take my hand.
We will walk.
We will only walk.
We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere.

Thich Nhat Hanh, The Long Road Turns to Joy

After the Supreme Court ruled upholding a COMELEC en banc decision canceling the certificate of candidacy of sitting Albur Mayor Jose Ugdoracion for lack of the required residency, the town is now agog with the question: “Green Card out, Blue Card next?”

The question refers to Ugdoracion being a United States Immigrant “green card” holder and to Vice mayor Cirilo Jalad claiming to be the mayor’s successor, who is linked to another controversy, the Blue Card health program, exposed to have defrauded the city government in over-bloated medical and hospitalization claims.

Jalad supporters claim he will be the successor of the soon-to-be-vacated mayor’s post.

But Albur resident say they deserve to be provided leaders with unquestionable integrity and away from public controversies.

Vice mayor Jalad is the chairman of the board of the Medical Mission Group Health Services Cooperative that admitted to have over-billed hospitalization and medical claims amounting to P112-million from patients charged to the city government Blue Card health program.

- The Bohol Standard